This invention relates generally to shoplifting prevention and pertains more particularly to electronic article surveillance (EAS) marker assemblies for use with eyeglasses and other products.
Commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,945,909 discloses a so-called xe2x80x9csealxe2x80x9d comprising a one-piece body having first and second members closable one upon the other and thereupon respectively defining first and second outer seal walls and a tail peripherally continuous with at least one of the first and second members at a third outer seal wall, the tail having a hook at a free end thereof. The seal body defines an interior recess and a detent opening into said third outer seal wall for retentive reception of the tail hook interiorly of said seal. An EAS marker is disposed in the seal body recess and is contained therein between the first and second outer seal walls upon closure of the first and second members.
The ""909 patent seal is used by circumscribing a portion of an article, e.g., a watchband, with the tail and then inserting the tail hook into seal body detent.
The EAS marker is a flat ferromagnetic strip member and is detectable by various known EAS systems, e.g., where the marker is not deactivated (as at an article payment checkout counter) and is carried through EAS marker detection gates at a facility exit.
The present invention has as its primary object the provision of improved EAS marker assemblies.
A more particular object of the invention is to provide an EAS marker assembly for eyeglasses and other articles.
In attaining these and other objects, the invention provides an EAS marker assembly comprising a housing defining an interior compartment and at least one channel accessible exteriorly of the housing and extending therethrough, an EAS marker contained in the compartment, and at least one securement member having a body portion and first and second leg portions depending from the body portion configured to be jointly insertable in the channel, the body portion and the leg portions defining a cavity closed at one end by the body portion and open at free ends of the leg portions.
The channel and the leg portions includes respective securement structures providing for retention of the leg portions in the channel upon insertion of the leg portions in the channel.
The invention provides, in combination: eyeglasses having a lens holder and first and second temples pivotally secured to the lens holder, at least one clip having a body portion and leg portions depending from the body portion, the body portion defining a cavity, the first temple being resident in the cavity, a housing defining an interior compartment and at least one channel accessible exteriorly of the housing and extending therethrough; the leg portions of the clip being retentively resident in the channel; and an EAS member disposed in the compartment.
In a preferred embodiment of such combination, a second clip is used and it engagingly circumscribes the first temple at a location spaced from the first-mentioned clip. The housing defines a second channel and the leg portions of the second clip are retentively resident in the second channel.
The invention will be further understood from consideration of the following description of preferred embodiments thereof and from the drawings where like reference numerals identify like parts throughout.